Portable electronic devices, such as tablet computers, netbooks, readers, iPads®, Kindles®, personal computers, communication devices, and other similar mobile devices (hereafter “electronic device”) have become increasingly popular. One drawback of these devices is that their size, shape and/or surface texture often renders them difficult to hold and tilt to an acceptable viewing angle. More specifically, it is often desirable to tilt the electronic device to enhance readability or functionality, which is usually done by hand. Those familiar with such devices will appreciate that after time, the user may become fatigued, which results in the reduction of holding force and associated stability. Holding an electronic device also does not permit the use of one or both hands for other activities that may be related to the functions being performed by an electronic device, e.g. typing. Further, some electronic devices are small, sleek, and have smooth surfaces, and are thus difficult to grasp.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a grip, i.e., a tactile user interface, for selective interconnection to the electronic device to facilitate holding and positioning thereof. Embodiments of the present invention, which will be described in detail below, provide a user interface for selective interconnection to an electronic device that allows static or dynamic user interaction with the associated electronic device, which also allows the electronic device to be used in a hands-free manner.